


36 Reasons to Fall Asleep

by artem_ace



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - College/University, Break Up, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Insomnia, M/M, jercy - Freeform, youtuber!percy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-20 08:44:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3643986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artem_ace/pseuds/artem_ace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy is coping with the reality of falling out of love. To cheer him up Jason suggests they try out a test designed to make strangers fall in love. (roomates au with college!Jason and youtuber!percy)  (warnings: difficulty/inabilty to fall asleep, mentions of alcohol)</p>
            </blockquote>





	36 Reasons to Fall Asleep

Percy can’t sleep.

Not like he’s actually trying or anything. He’s sitting on the couch staring blankly at the basketball game on tv. At this point he couldn’t even tell you who was playing.

The only thing he can think about is Annabeth. Not even her, but the name itself is repeating in his mind until he can’t even think about anything. He needs to sleep, he really does, but  _Annabeth_.

"You should go to sleep."

Jason looks up from his laptop. It takes a few moment for Percy to realize he’s spoken out loud. Whether to himself or Jason he’s not sure.

"You’re one to talk," Jason comments. "At least I’m being productive." He gestures to his laptop where he’d been writing an essay for the past 3 hours.

Percy nods his head toward the television as if to say “I’m being productive too.” Jason frowns at him.

"Who are you rooting for?" He asks. Percy glances at the tv, trying to catch a glimpse of one of the teams, but is thwarted by the commercial break. Shit.

"The Knicks?" He tries. Jason moves his laptop from his lap to the coffee table.

He crosses his arms. “They aren’t even playing, Percy.”

When Percy just shrugs and turns his attention back to the commercials, Jason sighs. He joins him on the sofa.

"You should go to bed, Jason. You’ve been working on that stupid assignment since 10-"

"It’s Annabeth, isn’t it?" Jason interrupts. Percy refuses to look at him. They both remain silent, Percy staring at the tv, Jason staring at him. It’s an unusual staring match, but one of them has to break.

"Percy-"

"It’s not Annabeth. Well not  _exactly_. It’s just-” He tears his gaze away from the game. Jason turns off the TV.

Percy inhales. “It’s just, four years is long time. A  _long_  time. And it was a totally mutual thing, you know? Yeah, she was the one who broke it off, but it’s not like I didn’t want it. I feel so much more comfortable around her now that we aren’t dating. There’s no pressure and it’s great but I-“

He leans into Jason. The blond winds his arms around him and pulls him closer automatically.

"I think I miss being in love," Percy confesses. "When we first got together everything was so  _great_  and I was so  _happy_  and I think being in love is supposed to feel like that all the time right? I don’t know. I just don’t want to be alone, you know?”

Jason rubs his arms in soothing circles. “Hey, you aren’t alone. You’ve got me,” he reminds him. Percy hums and turns slightly to face him.

"Yeah, but I’m not in love with you, silly," he jokes as he pokes Jason gently in the bicep.

"You could be," Jason speculates.

Percy gives him a weird look. “I don’t think you can just  _decide_  to be in love, Jase.”

Jason loosens his hold on Percy. He reaches over to the table to grab his laptop. Percy moves out of his way and watches as Jason opens a new tab and begins typing something into the address bar.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Jason nudges him away from the screen so he can click a link that appeared. “The test,” he states.

Percy huffs at him, urging him to elaborate. “In psych we’ve been talking about relationships and stuff and apparently there’s this test that can make two strangers fall in love,” he explains.

He lets out a puff of frustration. Percy assumes that Jason’s search has been less than fruitful. He’s contemplating getting some Doritos when Jason’s sudden shout of “Found it!” startles him from his thoughts.

Percy joins Jason at the laptop. “The 36 Questions That Lead to Love” he reads aloud. Jason smirks at him. Percy rolls his eyes.

“Okay there’s  _no_  way this is going to work. First of all, it says this is for strangers. We’ve been best friends for years. Plus, it isn’t possible to fall in love from  _questions_. Besides, I’m straight,” he insists, crossing his arms.

“ _First of all_ , we can still try it. Second, it says here that two participants got married. And we both know that’s a fucking lie,” Jason counters. Percy wrinkles his nose but doesn’t refute.

“Scared, Jackson?” Jason challenges. Percy immediately straightens.

“Fine. We’ll do the stupid test. And then you’ll go to sleep?”

Jason nods in confirmation. Percy sighs. “I am way too sober for this,” he states, going into the kitchen for a drink.

“Get me one,” Jason calls from the couch. Percy grab two beers from fridge, then on second thought, takes another two. He returns to the lounge and sets the drinks on the coffee table. Jason is slouching against the arm of the couch, his body taking up most of it’s length. Percy sits on the edge of the couch, near Jason’s waist.

“Let me in,” he demands. Jason chuckles and adjusts so that Percy can wedge himself between him and the laptop. Percy’s slightly smaller frame fits into his easily in the position they find themselves in often, when watching cute cat videos on youtube.

“Okay first question:  **Given the choice of anyone in the world, whom would you want as a dinner guest?”**   Jason starts.

“Wow, getting tough already. Um, my dad I guess? I mean I’ve never met him, but if he’s good enough for Mom he must be pretty great. She always told me he was lost at sea. It’d be cool to meet him. You?”

Jason is silent for a moment, thinking. “Sebastion Stan,” he says confidently.

“….Sebastian Stan?”

“Have you  _seen_  him?” Jason defends. “And his acting in “The Winter Soldier?” Oh my god. So beautiful. And talented. Most definitely would, if you know what I mean,” Jason fangirls behind him.

Percy shrugs. “I’m more into Chris Evans to be honest,” he admits. Jason nods.

“Him too. 10/10. God.”

Percy can feel Jason’s blush on the back of his neck. “Next.”

**“2. Would you like to be famous? In what way?”**

“Yeah I guess. Not, like,  _super/ famous, but I don’t know, it’d be cool if my youtube channel got big, like Tyler Oakley or Pewdiepie or something.”_

Jason nods. “I wouldn’t. I don’t think fame is as great as it seems. I’d hate to have to censor myself to please people, you know?”

Percy hums in agreement.

**“3. Before making a telephone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say? Why?”**

“Do people actually do that?” Percy asks.

“I do,” Jason replies.

“Really?”

Jason blushes nervously. “I just don’t want to sound dumb or disorganized,” he says defensively.

**“4. What would constitute a “perfect” day for you?”**

“Oh, I’ve got this one,” Percy says. “You know how every sunday we just chill at the house? Wake up late, stay in pajamas all day, play some video games, maybe shoot/edit a video. I love those so much.”

“Yeah, same.”

Percy smiles and relaxes even more into Jason’s well defined chest. He reads the next question.

**“5. When did you last sing to yourself? To someone else?”**

“I sang in the shower this morning. I don’t think I’ve ever sung to anyone else?” Jason answers honestly.

“I don’t sing,” Percy declares. He’s about to scroll to the next question when Jason grabs his hand from the mouse pad.

“Liar,” he accuses. “You sang the chorus of “Nine in the Afternoon”, like, two videos ago,” he insists.

“You watch my videos?” Percy asks.  _Oh._ He hadn’t really thought about the fact that Jason is actually one of the few subscribers he has. Jason answers him with the next question:

**“6. If you were able to live to the age of 90 and retain either the mind or body of a 30-year-old for the last 60 years of your life, which would you want?”**

“Definitely body of a 30 year old. I plan on being a very hot 30 year old, thank you very much,” Percy says.

“I dunno, you’d be a pretty hot old dude,” Jason says.

“Oh my god, shut the fuck up,” Percy laughs. He finishes his first beer and opens the second.

“Yeah, same though. I feel like we’d be all wise and shit, but still hot you know?”

**“7. Do you have a secret hunch about how you will die?”**

Jason waits for Percy to answer.

“Drowning,” he admits.

“Wait, weren’t you on the swim team?” Jason asks.

“Captain. It’s weird actually. I grew up near the water. I love it more than anything. Mom taught me to swim while I was still crawling. I just have this  _feelin_.”

Jason nods. “I can’t actually swim. Too afraid to try,” he confesses.

“I can teach you if you want,” Percy offers.

“Maybe sometime this summer.”

**“8. Name three things you and your partner appear to have in common.”**

“Besides the fact that we’re best friends?” Jason laughs. “We like the same music,” he counts off his fingers. “We’re both really competitive, and into active things.”

“Don’t forget dyslexic. Also extraverted and attractive,” Percy adds.

“True.”

**“9. For what in your life do you feel most grateful?”**

“My mom, probably.”

“The awesome people I’ve met.”

“Aw, thanks Jase, I had no idea you felt so fond of me,” Percy jokes.

“Shut up,” Jason replies.

**"10. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be?"**

“I had a pretty good childhood actually,” Percy says. “I did have the shittiest Step-dad in the world for six years though. It wasn’t nearly as bad for me as it was for my mom though. I wish she could’ve found Paul, my new, improved stepdad sooner. You?”

Jason falls silent. “I’d change everything.”

He doesn’t elaborate and Percy doesn’t push.

**11\. Take four minutes and tell your partner your life story in as much detail as possible.**

“You know everything about me,” Percy says.

“Yeah, but I want to hear you tell it anyway.

So Percy tells him. About how his mom met his dad. About swearing he’s seen his dad, despite his mother’s insistence that he disappeared before Percy was born. About Gabe Ugliano. About all the schools he’d been kicked out of. Everything up until this moment.

“Your turn,” Percy prompts.

Jason sighs and cuddles Percy to his chest, resting his head on the older boys shoulder. “My mom fell in love with some asshole. Then she had my sister. Then she had me. The asshole left. Mom went crazy. Thalia tried to run away. She took me with her. I was two. She was eleven.” Jason’s voice breaks and Percy takes hold of his hand, playing with the tips of his fingers.

“We got caught and they tried to send us back to her. She was an actress, you see, a good one too. Hid the fact that she was an abusive drunk pretty damn well in front of the cops. She refused to take Thalia back though. Sent her to a Foster home. After that things got pretty bad. By the time I was 8, she wasn’t able to hide it anymore and I got sent away. Moved from home to home, nobody wanted me. When I was 15 they told me she was dead. For all intents and purposes I was an orphan. Not that I cared. My 18th birthday, I left. I woke up at 6, was out the door by 7. I’d been saving up for a while, just enough to get a cheap apartment. And then I met you.” He laces his fingers into Percy’s, squeezing his hand tightly.

“Things got better after that.”

* * *

They continue answering the questions. The fourth beer is open and they alternate taking sips.

**“25. Make three true “we” statements each. For instance, ‘We are both in this room feeling …’”**

“We are best friends. We are doing a ridiculous questionnaire way past our bedtimes. We should probably stop drinking,” Percy lists.

“Amen,” Jason slurs, finishing the drink.

* * *

It’s almost two and they’ve finally reached the last question. Percy rubs his eyes before squinting at the question.

**“36. Share a personal problem and ask your partner’s advice on how he or she might handle it. Also, ask your partner to reflect back to you how you seem to be feeling about the problem you have chosen.”**

“So, Jason,” Percy says.

“Yeah, Percy?” Jason replies nuzzling his nose into Percy’s shoulder.

“How do you get over the feeling of not being love?”

Jason’s the kind of drunk who laughs at anything said to him and it takes him a minute to reply. “You make out with your best friend, obviously,” Jason chuckles, between hiccups.

Percy looks up at him. Jason is grinning down at him, his glasses hanging askew across the bridge of his nose.

“Sorry,” he apologizes. “This is serious-” he hiccups again. “- um, you fall in love with someone else, I guess. That works when you’re hungover, right? Drink some more and wow, no more headache.” He breaks into soft peals of laughter. “You seem to be feeling sad. You haven’t been sleeping well. I can see it in your eyes when we eat breakfast together. I never bring it up, but I’m worried about you. If you want to talk, I’m here. You know that right?”

Jason’s voice is soft, and Percy resists the urge to look at him, afraid of what he might do if he does. He nods, and is about to reply “yes” when Jason chuckles.

“My turn,” he announces.

“I have a lot of problems, but this one’s been eating at me for a while…”

Percy takes the empty can Jason’s been holding, and sets it on the coffee table with the others.

“I like this guy, and I probably shouldn’t… I definitely shouldn’t. But whatever, I’ll get over it eventually.” He laughs again, but it’s an ironic laughter, lacking any humor.

“You should tell him,” Percy says quietly. He turns around in Jason’s lap, to face him properly for the first time since this whole thing started. Jason sobers up quickly and they have a silent conversation, neither knowing what it meant.  

“Maybe when I’m less drunk,” Jason says and closes his eyes. They remain there, breathing in sync.

“Now we have to look into each others eyes,” Percy reads from the laptop.

“Huh?”

“We have to stare into the others eyes for four minutes,” Percy repeats.

“Ugh, I don’t wanna get up,” came Jason’s tired reply.

Percy sets the laptop on the table and moves to the floor. With a groan, Jason joins him. They sit cross legged, their knees touching. Percy sets the timer. And they stare. Jason’s eyes have always been blue, but now Percy realizes how many blues exist.

Jason’s blue is like the sky, on a clear day. One of those days where you simply  _can’t_  sit inside, because the sky is calling you to come bask in it’s brilliance. No clouds in the sky, just a calm, constant, blue and golden touches of the sun. Percy swears he can see the sun in Jason’s eyes. There’s a barely noticeable golden tint circling the rim of Jason’s iris, adding a depth that wasn’t there before.  _God, he’s beautiful_. Percy suddenly feels insecure. There’s something about another person staring into your very soul, that leaves you a bit disoriented. He longs for the timer to stop, but is almost hoping this moment can last forever. When it does finally go off, Percy’s head is foggy, and the image of the perfect sky is burned into his eyelids.

“Fuck,” he whispers.

Jason is putting his glasses on. He laughs nervously. “Well, that was pointless.”

Percy’s mouth is becoming excessively dry. He swallows the lump in his throat. “Yeah, totally stupid.”

“Yeah.”

They sit in silence, refusing to look at each other.

“I’m going to bed,” Jason states, standing up.

“Yeah, me too.”

* * *

Percy doesn’t sleep that night, and this time it isn’t “Annabeth” keeping him away. It’s a blond boy with a fondness for superheroes and eyes the color of the perfect day.

* * *

They don’t talk about that night the next morning. And Percy doesn’t sleep for three nights.

* * *

“You’re going to kill yourself if you keep drinking that much coffee.”

Percy shrugs and pours another cup.

“Percy,” Jason says, taking the cup away from him.

“You know you can talk to me, right?”

Percy reaches for the cup. Jason gives it to him.

“You need to sleep eventually,” Jason reminds him.

“I will.”

He doesn’t.

* * *

On the fifth night Percy can’t take it anymore. Because he’s thinking about the way that stupid scar on that stupid mouth curves just the slightest bit when that stupid boy smiles. And how he has to keep himself from kissing that stupid scar on that stupid mouth every time that stupid boy smiles.

Percy sighs. It’s 11. Jason might still be up. With that thought, Percy stands and in his bare feet, walks across the hall to Jason’s room. He knocks softly.

“Come in.”

Percy opens the door. Jason’s in bed, scrolling through his phone. He silently moves over and lifts the corner of his comforter. Percy shivers and makes his way to the bed, slipping underneath the covers. “Can I sleep here?” he asks.

“Of course,” Jason replies. He turns off the lamp and snuggles down into the big spoon position.

‘ _How will this affect our relationship?_ ’ Percy thinks.

‘ _It doesn’t matter,_ ’ Percy thinks.

‘ _We can talk about it tomorrow,’_  Percy thinks.

‘ _This is nice,’_  Percy thinks. And then he falls asleep.

* * *

When he awakes, he’s still in Jason’s arms. The blond is on his phone again, cradling Percy’s head against his head on his chest.

“Morning,” he whispers, noticing that Percy’s awake.

“What time is it?” Percy asks with a yawn.

“Nine.”

Percy squints. “Don’t you have class?”

Jason sets his phone down. “This is the first time you’ve gotten proper sleep in weeks, Percy. I can miss one day.”

Percy smiles. Jason hasn’t missed a day of class all semester. It’s sweet of him to skip for Percy.

“Go back to bed Perce, I’ll be here when you wake up.”

And this time, Percy falls asleep, and he doesn’t think anything at all.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i'm jercy trash okay
> 
> please comment/review I love hearing from you ^.^
> 
> tumblr:   
> main blog- artem-ace.tumblr.com   
> pjo blog- demi-will-solace.tumblr.com


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